GHT Photos

This is a screen shot from my Yellowbrick Tracking system website. It shows the exact route I took across Nepal using both the Upper and Lower GHT. Most of the routes used were however, in the upper sections.

Amazing morning views in Khangpachen before heading further north up the valley to Lhonak.

Some crazy ice features on the way to Lhonak

Looking north up the valley from Lhonak

Looking east along the valley towards Kanchenjunga Base Camp as the sun sets.

View down the valley from Kanchenjunga Base Camp

The view from Lhonak looking up the glacial valley towards Kanchenjunga Base Camp

After 8.5 days of walking I finally made it to the start point for the Great Himalaya Trail, Kanchenjunga Base Camp (5143m)

My first experience of himalayan isolation I as crossed the Nanga La Pass (4950m). I didn’t see a soul for two days.

Typical example of the large landslides that have hit the Yangma Valley. Its passable but hard and potentially dangerous work.

A warm welcome as I arrived in the village of Olongchung Gola. These were the first people I had seen in two days.

A spot of washing at the base camp of the Lumbha Sumba. A cold, icy glacial stream, but at least I felt clean for the first time in a few days.

Lumbha Sumba Pass base camp. The route the following day was straight up the re-entrant in the background.

On the way to the first of three 5100+m passes as I cross the Lumbha Sumba Pass. Kanchengjunga and other amazing peaks can be seen in the background.

The view from the first 5100m pass on the way to the Lumbha Sumba Pass. Looking north along the route I had just walked. There was no one around for days in every direction.

On the way to the Lumbha Sumba Pass (5130m)

Looking towards the Lumbha Sumba Pass (5130m). The route too it though was knee deep snow.

Looking tired but happy as I finally reach the top of the Lumbha Sumba Pass (5130m) after crossing two other 5100+m passes to get this far. The clouds were coming in fast causing problems with visibility. A large storm followed too.

As I descended from the Lumbha Sumba Pass (5130m) I large storm was working its way up the valley. As I looked for shelter on either side of the valley I ran through the streams, sadly there was nothing until I found a yak herders tent.

The yak herder who kindly let me shelter in his tent for the night after I was caught out by the large storm as I descended the Lumbha Sumba Pass (5130m).

The morning after the large snow storm that caught me out as I descended from the Lumbha Sumba Pass (5130m). This was the tent I managed to seek refuge for the night thanks to a kind yak herder.

The traditional Sherpa village of Thudam.

The morning after the night before – After getting caught out by a heavy snow storm walking through the dense trees this was the only place I could find flat enough to put my tent. Thankfully it was sheltered too.

The infamous Chinese Army biscuits. 250g, 5248kJ of pure energy, but sadly only available in certain places near the border with Tibet.

Morning view of Tibet from a ridge-line the Kanchenjunga National Park on the way to the village of Chyamtang

The very friendly village of Chyamtang in the northern part of the Arun Valley. After spending 5 nights wild camping int he moutons this village was a welcomed change.

Heading south from Chyamtang. A traditional Sherpa monument at the edge of villages. Its tradition to walk on the left hand side.

The Arun Valley is an enormous feature with villages at random locations along it. I took a route through the village in the foreground and then walked over the incredibly steep hill in the background to continue my route south along the valley.

An old woman negotiating a track that had recently been hit by a localised landslide.

A social early lunch. Sadly this was a one off.

Fresh goat…….love it.

A small bamboo hut in the middle of the jungle at the edge of the Arun River. After getting caught out by another storm the farmer was very kind and let me stay here overnight.

An example of a ‘Home Stay’, sleeping on a veranda. But at least it was safe, dry and clean.

Some friendly faces as I make my way into the Everest Region. These guys were also doing the Great Himalaya Trail, but they were mainly sticking to the Lower Cultural Trail.

Of course a room in a house wouldn’t be the same of there were not chickens under the bed.

A glorious sunrise on the way into the Everest Region

The morning sun south of Lukla as I head north back into the mountains.

Namche. A large Sherpa town on the way to Everest Base Camp.

Ama dablam (6818m)

A memorial for Scott Fischer the US climber who died on Everest on 11 May 1996

At the top of Kala Patthar (5555m) looking directly at Everest (8848m), Lohtse (8516m) and Nupste (7861m)

The route to the Cho La Pass 5421m

The route to the Cho La Pass 5421m.

The view down from the Cho La Pass 5421m.

The view of the route across the glacier and the route to Gokyo. Also Cho Oyu, 8201m, the worlds sixth highest mountain can be seen in the background

The sacred green glacial Gokyo Lake.

It is the small things in life which make the difference!

The view from the Renja La Pass (5345m) looking towards Everest in the background.

Buddhist stupas in the village of Thame.

After one month of trekking through the hills I am starting to look a little bit on the thin side

Great memorabilia in the small Tea House in Thame.

A job well done. After a 14 hour day we enjoy some local hospitality in a Serpa house in Na Goan.

An amazing day as I walked towards the Tashi Labsta base camp.

The team on the way to the Tashi Labsta (5760m)

Tashi Labsta base camp which is small space underneath a large boulder

Looking back as I cross the Tashi Labsta Pass (5760m)

Crossing the icy Tashi Labsta (5760m) just as the sun has risen

The other side of the Tashi Labsta Pass. Another glacier.

The second glacier that I had to negotiate once I had crossed the Tashi Labsta Pass (5760m) as I made my way to the town of Na Goan. It took 10 hours of hard walking and route finding to get there.

The amazing view down the Rolwaling Valley

A spectacular beam of light that only lasted for no more than 30 seconds

The going through the mid-hills before heading back into the mountains. The temperature was around 30C. A bit too hot for walking long distances over difficult terrain carrying a 55lb rucksack.

Me at the highest of the Gosaikunda Lakes

A very poor man in the village of Tipling. He lost the lower part of his right leg 24 years ago.

The morning view of the Ganesh Himal from Tipling village

The lower part to the village of Tipling

The epic 2.5km descent through thick trees. Two KAAA bridges at the bottom of the valley.

Mt Manaslu (8156m), eight highest mountain in the world, just visible through the clouds

The village of Shyala

The village of Sama

A cheeky looking marmot on the way to the Larky La Pass (5130m)

Looking back at the route take on the way to the Larky La Pass

Larky La Pass (5130m)

The view on the descent from the Larky La Pass

Vanity showing through!

Traditional village

Losing the weight at a rapid rate. nearly two months in and I am down to 84kg, 12kg lighter than when I started

A novel use of cans doubling up as prayer wheels in Manang

On the way to Thorang La Pass (5415m)

Thorang La Pass (5415m). This was my 11th 5000+m pass/base camp of the trail. I only had another three to do.

The descent from the Thorang La Pass.

View across the other side of the valley towards the Thorang Lar Pass (5415m) – the large U-shape in the background

Looking north into the arid Mustang Valley

The route that I took into Lower Dolpa. Remote and breathtaking.

Locals making the most of the passing trades in their tented tea house.

The medieval village of Santa

A serious local in the village of Santa

Meeting some locals as I head from Lower Mustang into Lower Dolpa

The coolest little bridge i crossed on my trail

Scrambling our way out of the gorge

The top of the pass that separates Lower Mustang from Lower Dolpa

My first view of Lower Dolpa

A yak herders tent just over the pass into Lower Dolpa. I stayed over night here, it beat sleeping in my small cold tent.

The very kind yak herders preparing dinner

Life isn’t easy in the hills

The village of Charka Bhot.

The route taken to head to Dho Tarap from Charka Bhot

More bad weather!

Yarsagumba. This is a caterpillar which has been infected by a parasite causing it to solidify. It lives under the ground between 3000-5000m and is worth a lot of money as the Chinese use them for traditional medicine.

The view looking north from the top of the Numala La Pass (5340m)

The final section of the Numala La Pass (5340m). Snowy, icy and not that easy.

The view looking north from the Numala La Pass (5340m) towards another 5000+m pass, the Bagala La Pass (5170m) which I crossed in the same day.

Phoksundo Lake a hugely sacred lake to locals.

The friendly Lama and monk who let me stay in their monastery when I couldn’t find anywhere else to stay in Huricot.

A small old village on the way to Lake Rara

A comedy water tap

Small quaint village near Lake Rara, maximising its space by using the roofs as work space.

Hindu temple

Rice fields

One of the most peaceful places I visited. It was just a shame that it was so cloudy, otherwise I would have been able to see the mountains.

A clear day as I trekked into Simikot. Sadly the weather didn’t last.

Traditional village houses in Humla.

Finally I can see Tibet. This was the final pass before arriving in the boarder town of Hilsa. It was pretty windy!

The official finishing point of the Great Himalaya Trail, the other side of Friendship Bridge. It had take me 64 days 2 hour and 35 minutes to walk the 1480km from Kanchenjunga Base Camp (although I had walked 1580km in 73 days in total including the time to get to the start point) . However, the walk wasn’t over, I had a 2 day 72km walk back to Simikot to get my flight out of the Himalayas.

The boots had seen better days by the time I had finished.

A warm welcome by the GHT Development Programme team in Simikot.

Relieved and happy to have finished. The red powder and scarves were given as part of the welcoming by the GHT Development Programme team as I arrived into the village of Simikot.